Birmingham City missed out on a summer move for Joe Gelhardt, with the forward instead joining Hull City permanently. The 24-year-old former England youth international has praised the Blues for their respectful approach during the collapsed transfer talks.
Gelhardt spent a year and a half on loan at Hull's MKM Stadium before returning to Leeds United at the end of last season. After a period of uncertainty, Hull launched a successful permanent swoop for his services in August, with Birmingham's interest ultimately not leading to a deal.
A respectful exit
Gelhardt said he appreciated the time Birmingham City gave him but had already committed to a medical with Hull. He described the Championship club as kind and nice throughout the process, adding they applied no pressure on him to change his mind. He credited them for being top class in their handling of the situation.
Birmingham's current trajectory
The missed opportunity comes as Birmingham City sit third in the Championship with 17 points from 10 games. Their promotion push was underlined by a 4-0 thrashing of Preston North End last time out, a result that leaves them six points behind leaders Swansea City. The team is in strong form, having won four of their last five league matches. They will look to maintain this confident mood in their upcoming home clash against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday. QPR currently sit eighth in the table, making it a key fixture in the early promotion race.
Gelhardt is only now starting to get minutes for Hull City after a disrupted pre-season. He has played 35 minutes across his two substitute appearances for the club so far, featuring in their recent 2-2 draw with Everton. His next chance to feature will come when Hull face Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
The Blues' squad depth will be tested, and fans can check the latest squad information ahead of the match.
Further reading: The72 - Football League News
